2011 CHEVROLET VOLT stop start

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
9-18 Driving and Operating
If you put things inside the
vehicle—like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything
else —they will go as fast as
the vehicle goes. If you have to
stop or turn quickly, or if there is
a crash, they will keep going.
{WARNING
Things inside the vehicle can
strike and injure people in a
sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash.
.Put things in the cargo
area of the vehicle. In the
cargo area, put them as
far forward as possible.
Try to spread the weight
evenly.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
.Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
.Secure loose items in the
vehicle.
.Do not leave a seat folded
down unless needed.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice: The vehicle does not
require a break-in period. Vehicle
break‐in is performed during
manufacturing.
Power Button
The vehicle has an electronic
push‐button start. The POWER
O
button light flashes when the driver
door is open and the vehicle is not

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-19
on. The flashing light will eventually
time out. The POWER
Obutton
light is on steady when in ON/RUN
power mode. When the vehicle is
turned off, the POWER
Obutton
light will turn off.
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle
for the system to operate. If the
vehicle will not start, place the RKE
transmitter in the transmitter slot.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
ON/RUN: This position is for
driving and starting. With the vehicle
off, and the brake pedal applied,
pressing the POWER
Obutton once
will place the vehicle in ON/RUN.
The instrument cluster displays an
active fuel or battery gauge, along
with an audio startup cue, when
the vehicle is ready to be driven.
This could take up to 15 seconds
at extremely cold temperatures. The engine will only start if needed.
If the vehicle did not start, the
instrument cluster will display a
screen with inactive fuel and battery
gauges. See
Starting and Stopping
the Vehicle on page 9‑20.
Service Only Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of
the MIL as may be required for
emission inspection purposes.
With the vehicle off, and the brake
pedal not applied, pressing and
holding the POWER
Obutton for
more than 5 seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Only Mode.
The instruments and audio systems
will operate as they do in ON/RUN,
but the vehicle will not be able to be
driven. The propulsion system will
not start in Service Only Mode. STOPPING THE VEHICLE/OFF:
To turn the vehicle off, push the
POWER
Obutton with the vehicle
in P (Park). Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) will remain active
until the driver door is opened.
See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑22. When turning
off the vehicle, if the vehicle is not
in P (Park), the vehicle will go to
ACC/ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Electric Drive Unit Messages
on page 5‑47.
In an emergency, if the vehicle must
be stopped while driving:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
9-20 Driving and Operating
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral).This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle
to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the
vehicle to OFF by pushing the
POWER
Obutton.
4. Set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake on
page 9‑35.
{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
propulsion system off in an
emergency. 5. If the vehicle must be stopped
while driving, press and hold
the POWER
Obutton for
either longer than two seconds,
or press twice in five seconds.
Starting and Stopping the
Vehicle
Starting Procedure
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The propulsion system
will not start in any other position.
Notice: Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving
or the electric drive unit could be
damaged. Shift to P (Park) only
when the vehicle is stopped. Notice:
The vehicle is designed
to work with the electronics in
the vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could
change the way the vehicle
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the vehicle
might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-21
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle.
Press the brake pedal and push
and release the POWER
Obutton.
If the RKE transmitter is not in the
vehicle or something is interfering
with the transmitter, a message
displays in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See Key and Lock
Messages on page 5‑48.
If the vehicle will not start due
to a low RKE transmitter battery,
the vehicle can still be driven.
See “Starting the Vehicle with
a Low Transmitter Battery” in
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
A Welcome, Ready, and Good‐bye
audio message will be heard in
the vehicle and animated on the
instrument cluster when opening
the driver door upon entry, when
the vehicle is ready to be driven,
and when the vehicle is turned off. The instrument cluster displays an
active fuel or battery gauge, along
with an audio startup cue, when
the vehicle is ready to be driven.
This could take up to 15 seconds
at extremely cold temperatures.
The engine will only start if needed.
If the vehicle did not start, the
instrument cluster will display
a screen with inactive fuel and
battery gauges. See
Starting and
Stopping the Vehicle on page 9‑20.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
9-22 Driving and Operating
Restarting Procedure
If the vehicle must be restarted
while it is still moving, move the
shift lever to N (Neutral) and
press the POWER
Obutton twice
without pressing the brake pedal.
The propulsion system will not
restart in any other position.
Computers determine when the
engine needs to run. The engine
may start, if required, when the
propulsion system is on. Some
vehicle conditions that force the
engine to run are:
.Cold ambient temperatures.
.The hood is open or not
completely latched.
.The high voltage battery has a
low charge.
.The engine is needed to
maintain the high voltage
battery temperature.
.The engine needs to run for
maintenance. See
Maintenance Modes on
page 9‑28.
A chime will sound if the driver
door is opened while the vehicle
is in ON/RUN. Always press the
POWER
Obutton to turn the
vehicle off before exiting.
Stopping Procedure
For information on how to turn the
vehicle off, see Power Button on
page 9‑18.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The following features will operate
for up to 10 minutes or until the
driver door is opened:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.Accessory Power Outlets
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the propulsion
system on, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake.
See Electric Parking Brake on
page 9‑35 for more information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pushing the lever all the way
toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the vehicle off.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
9-28 Driving and Operating
Press the Drive Mode button again
to return to Normal Mode and it
becomes active in three seconds.
If Mountain Mode is not selected
for these conditions, propulsion
power may be reduced and the
engine speed may increase. See
Propulsion Power Messages on
page 5‑50.
The vehicle returns to Normal Mode
at each start to maintain a smaller
battery charge reserve for normal
driving.
Out of Fuel/Engine
Unavailable
If the vehicle runs out of fuel,
or the engine will not start due
to a malfunction, the vehicle can
continue to be driven in Electric
Mode. The vehicle will have
less responsive acceleration.DIC messages indicate reduced
propulsion power, that the engine
is not available, and the need for
fuel or service.
Once the vehicle is refueled, or the
malfunction is corrected, the engine
will start the next time the vehicle is
turned on to perform a self test, and
DIC messages will not be displayed.
Once the engine starts successfully,
normal operation will continue in
either Electric or Extended Range
Mode. The engine will stop running
after the self test is completed,
and based on the current mode
of operation. See
Fuel System
Messages on page 5‑48 and
Service Vehicle Messages on
page 5‑51.
Maintenance Modes
Engine Maintenance Mode (EMM)
Engine Maintenance Mode
(EMM) runs the engine to keep
it in good working condition after
approximately six weeks of no or
very limited engine operation. EMM
will force the engine to run, even
if there is a charge to power the
vehicle. When EMM is needed,
the EMM Request screen appears
on the center stack display at
vehicle start.
If Yes is selected, EMM will begin.
The engine will run for a set
amount of time without turning off.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
9-32 Driving and Operating
Electric Drive Unit
The vehicle uses an electric drive
unit. The shift lever is on the
console between the seats.
P (Park):This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when starting the propulsion
system because the vehicle cannot
move easily.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when
the propulsion system is running
unless you have to. If you have
left the propulsion system
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift
lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into
Park on page 9‑22.
Make sure the shift lever is fully
in P (Park) before starting the
propulsion system. The vehicle
has an electric drive unit shift lock
control system. The regular brake must be fully applied first and then
the shift lever button pressed before
shifting from P (Park) when the
vehicle is in ON/RUN. If you cannot
shift out of P (Park), ease pressure
on the shift lever, then push the shift
lever all the way into P (Park) as
you maintain brake application.
Then press the shift lever button
and move the shift lever into
another gear. See
Shifting out
of Park on page 9‑23.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the electric
drive unit. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse)
only after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the electric drive unit, see
If the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑13.

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-37
Regenerative Braking
Regenerative braking takes some of
the energy from the moving vehicle
and turns it back into electrical
energy. This energy is then stored
back into the high voltage battery
system, contributing to increased
energy efficiency.
The hydraulic disc brakes work with
the regenerative braking to ensure
effective braking, such as when a
high braking demand is requested.
The braking system is
computer controlled and
blends the regenerative braking
with the conventional hydraulic disc
brakes to meet any requirements
for deceleration. The controllerinterprets the braking request
and uses regenerative braking,
conventional hydraulic braking, or a
combination of both as necessary.
Because the controller applies the
hydraulic brakes through its high
pressure accumulator, you may
occasionally hear the motor‐driven
pump when it recharges the system.
This is normal.
See
Warning Lights, Gauges,
and Indicators on page 5‑9 and
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑43. In the event of a
controller problem, the brake pedal
may be harder to push and the
stopping distance may be longer.
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) that limits wheel
spin. The system operates if it
senses that one or both of the drive
wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction. When this happens,
the system brakes the spinning
wheel(s) and/or reduces power
to limit wheel spin.
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working, but this is
normal.
To assist with directional control
of the vehicle, TCS comes on
automatically whenever the vehicle
is started and cannot be turned off.